The Ford World Rally Team are leading both championships at this time, which makes them confident that they will continue to do well for the rest of the season. Marcus Gronholm extended his lead in the drivers’ championship to nine points as he took his second consecutive victory, while Ford are now 28 points ahead of Citroen in the manufacturers’ standings.
Citroen’s championship challenge has lost some momentum in recent weeks, after Sebastien Loeb crashed out of the lead in Italy, and then struggled to find the right set-up for his C4 last weekend in Greece. “It’s a huge confidence boost to take two wins before the summer break,” said Gronholm. “We’re able to fight with Loeb, and maybe he’s not so comfortable any more.”